TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- Jake Delhomme and Muhsin Muhammad
showed how badly they want to return to the postseason.

Delhomme passed for a career-high four touchdowns, including a
pair to Muhammad, to lead the Carolina Panthers to a 37-20
victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a battle of NFC South
rivals.

The Panthers (7-8) appeared to be on their way to becoming the
fourth straight NFC champion to miss the playoffs the following
year. But despite a plethora of injuries, they have won six of
their last seven games and remain alive in the playoff race.

Next week, Carolina will host New Orleans (7-8) in a game which
could determine a wild card berth. However, both teams will
need help.

If the St. Louis Rams win their final two games and the Seattle
Seahawks, who have already clinched a playoff spot, lose next
week, then the Rams win the NFC West and the Seahawks get the
wild card. The Minnesota Vikings could clinch the other wild
card spot with a win at Washington next week.

"We've given ourselves another opportunity next week, we get to
play another division foe at our place and we'll see how it all
settles," Carolina coach John Fox said. "These guys have
believed all year it isn't where you start, but where you
finish."

Delhomme was nearly flawless, completing 19-of-24 passes for 214
yards. He connected with Muhammad on touchdowns of 15 and six
yards in the first half when the Panthers built a 17-7 lead and
also threw scoring passes to rookie Keary Colbert and tight end
Mike Seidman in the second half.

"Things really felt good today," Delhomme said. "I didn't get
touched on but one play today. I know it was a sack, but other
than that I didn't get touched. (Early in the season) I tried
to make the perfect play too much. That was due to so many
injuries. I felt someone had to make a play and I was trying too
hard. Now I am just going out there and playing and the rest of
the guys are stepping up."

Muhammad made his 13th and 14th touchdown catches of the season,
tying him with Terrell Owens of Philadelphia and Marvin
Harrison of Indianapolis for the league lead. Named to the Pro
Bowl earlier in the week, Muhammad finished with eight receptions
for 115 yards.

"After you finish the season and look back, you realize you
accomplished a lot of things," Muhammad said. "All I know is we
have a tough game ahead of us. The New Orleans Saints are also
coming together and are playing well."

Nick Goings, forced into a starting role due to injuries to
starter Stephen Davis and backup DeShaun Foster, rushed for more
than 100 yards for the fifth time in Carolina's last six games,
finishing with a career-high 127 yards in 33 carries.

"For us to even have an opportunity for the playoffs after
starting 1-7 is great," Goings said. "We have a lot of character
on this team. A lot of players with heart. The coaches did a
good job of keeping us motivated."

Brian Griese went toe-to-toe with Delhomme, completing 30-of-41
passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns, including two to
rookie Michael Clayton. However, Griese was also intercepted
twice, one of which was returned 17 yards for a touchdown by
defensive tackle Kindal Moorehead in the fourth quarter, and
fumbled the ball away once.

"I felt we moved the ball pretty well," Griese said. "I thought
we did pretty well in the pass game, but it takes a toll on the
quarterback. I feel beat up right now. At the end of the day, we
just didn't make enough plays."

The loss was the third straight for the Buccaneers (5-10), who
slipped to 12-19 under coach Jon Gruden since winning Super Bowl
XXXVII.

"I don't like where we are," Gruden said. "We have a long way to
go. It's a good thing the electricity works at One Buc Place
because we are going to need it. We are going to continue to
work hard. I am really confident we will find a way out of the
darkness. It is not going to be easy. There are some positive
signs, but it is hard to see through the fog right now."